1. Think of an experience that your child has on a regular basis and how you can encourage him to talk about it; for example, playing with the neighborhood children, the walk or ride home from school, or buying groceries with a family member.

2. Try to set a time every day when you or a family member reads to your child. Just before bath or bedtime often works well. How can you make the most of this time?

3. The next time your children want to "play house," give them a phone book, cookbook or calendar to use. During play, you can pretend to use these and help your children to understand their value in real life.

4. Ask your child to tell you a story and write down what she says. Ask her questions about what happens next and why something happened to encourage her to continue. After the story is written down, ask your child to draw a picture or pictures to illustrate the story.